International Women’s Day

Debate between Dawn Butler and Wera Hobhouse

Thursday 9th March 2023 Commons Chamber

[Dawn Butler (Brent Central) (Lab)]

When I was a teenager, I used to question why there are so many ways to tell the relationship status of a woman—Mrs, Miss, Ms—but there is just a Mr. I am still wondering that as a grown woman. Articles always include the age of the woman after her name, but only sometimes the age of the man. Why is that? Our laws and language are designed to keep women vulnerable and exposed in a particular way.

[Wera Hobhouse]

I was a secondary school teacher and, although a married woman, with four children, in my middle age, I was always “Miss”, whereas a man was always “Sir”. Is that not bizarre?

[Dawn Butler]

It completely is. Again, it is about language, and what it is designed for and to do.